inter faith
christian-hindu relations
According to the census figures, Hinduism is the third largest religion in Britain and Ireland. Relationships between Christians and Hindus are therefore very important.
Some commentators stress that Hinduism is not a religion in the same way as, say, Christianity and Islam. Rather it is more a family of religions bound together by Indian Vedic Philosophy. The BBC's Religion and Ethics page gives more information about Hinduism.
The report Connecting British Hindus gives an overview of the nature in Hinduism in the United Kingdom.
Christianity's engagement with Hinduism is very old, however contemporary relations are often defined by the history of British rule in India and by Christian missionary religion.
Issues concerning missionary activity, conversion, caste discrimination and Indian politics all impact on Christian-Hindu relations. Dialogue between the two religions therefore aims to overcome misunderstandings and to develop relationships of trust that are respectful of difference.
Useful links:
Message of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Network to Hindus on the Feast of Diwali (2007) 
Message of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Hindu Community on the Feast of Diwali (2007)
Statement from the Hindu-Christian consultation held in Varanasi, India, 23-26 October 1997
Surrender to God in Islam, Christianity and Hinduism at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies
The Society for Christian-Hindu Studies
